On Angel's Wings

Incense had been used for centuries, Moses was instructed to build an altar for incense. Exodus 30:1-10 and it was placed before the veil of the temple. In Numbers 17:13-17, it is used as an offering of thanksgiving. Catholic priests have used it since the Middle Ages, and it is to represent the prayers of the saints. Purification and sanctification, though Jesus does that at salvation. And it is an ongoing process.

Even the gospels mention it and it developed over a period of time and Christian tradition changed over the years.  The Psalmist prays, “Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice” Psalm 141.

Revelation describes heavenly worship,  “Another angel came in holding a censer of gold.  He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God’s holy ones.  From the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with it the prayers of God’s people” Revelation 8:3-4.

Now, as believers, we must realize that Jesus was our propitiation, our complete sacrifice, once and for all. He literally absorbed our punishment in our place.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

Wow, we should smell good to those who want to know Jesus, and well your read it, those who choose to serve death rather than life, They feel the gloom and doom, so sad since Jesus is the Good News. And while many fail into ruin,….. you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and the Son, Jesus, figuratively, in His arms.

Rebecca Jones

After having God show His power through him, Elijah was afraid for his life and fled. Here under the broom tree.

“It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 1 Kings 19:1-8.

Elijah battle Ahab and Jezebel and the false god, Baal. And like we do, he got tired and afraid. He wanted to just give up and die, but the Lord had the angel to feed him and send him on his way.  And this was not only an angel but the Angel of the Lord, possibly Jesus, Himself, in an Old Testament appearance. So, in that case, this angel is not an accurate depiction.

Elijah was a powerful prophet of God, and if he needed help so do we. Jesus is there as our manna from heaven and our bread of life.  He has angel to send or He will come Himself to help us if we need Him.

Angels play all sorts of instruments and are not limited by any means to harps. Imagine the best concert or symphony you have ever heard and multiply it, ever piece of classical music, piano, violin, and it would pale in comparison the to the beauty of heaven.

However, it does reflect it in many ways. So let’s take a moment to appreciate all the music God has put into our hearts, and all the praise.

The enemy’s loss is our gain, and we rejoice in His name and presence, and make a joyful noise to Him, Psalm 100:1

I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Psalm 96:1

Praise the LORD, you strong and mighty angels, who obey His commands, who listen to what He says. Psalm 103:20 Good News

 

Ascension of Jesus into heaven after being raised from the dead? It brings to mind a more white image between to angels who ask why they are gazing and that He will return right?

Well, that might be more accurate but his one is great as He goes back to heaven in a green robed and surrounded by throngs of angels. Just because there are only two or three mentioned doesn’t mean there wasn’t more.

Angels are innumerable, like the stars, grains of sand, and drop of water in the ocean. But when you need as we often do. One is enough. An angel ministered to Jesus we read, but with all he went through it could have been more.

And only one was need to get Peter out of prison. So if you need one or a a thousand and one, He charges them for you and you are safe and need not fear. Just pray for protection in His name.

This is another powerful guardian angel representation. it is by Antonio de Pereda y Salgado. ( 1611-1678) Angels appear in some of his other works, and he did the painting of  Mary being crowned by angels, the Immaculate Conception.

His was from a family of artists and I am including a biographical link. He has paintings in museums and I do like this one to depict the strength of true guardian angels as in Psalm 103. Notice the demonic figure at the right of the painting, we should be able to with angels like carefree children, oblivious to enemy attack, perhaps, we are not there but we will one day realize, He intended nothing to harm us. Luke 10:17, if one  lovely little Victorian guardian can push back a demon, just think what other more powerful ones can do.

It should be a comforting thought to know they are presents, and guarding us and hedging us in.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_de_Pereda

The guardian angel according to Catholic beliefs, is the angel to whom God has given the mission to protect, guard and guide every man during his life on Earth to facilitate his ascension to Heaven, I like to think Jesus comes for us as well. Or rather He comes and His angels along wit Him.

I was reading some angel quotes, one I disagree with and I won’t quote the source is that God takes someone close to you because He needs another angel. He could create one, He did, He did not kill people to become angels. He created them.

i am always amazed that people think they become angels when they die. We will know as we are known, although that I the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 and refers to experiencing Christ fully when we are with Him, we know Him and He knows us and we will know each other.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

Music is well said to be the speech of angels. Thomas Carlyle ( a personal favorite )

In scripture whenever angels appeared there was always one main thing that is mentioned: ‘to fear not’. Sahne Callahan, Joy Through Presence

The angels of Heaven watch in amazement, as the King of the universe takes on the lowly form of a human, to save people that may or may not want to be saved. Rebecca Bryan, The Carols of Christmas

Apart from making the Father’s heart glad through your obedience and soul winning, the angels in Heaven and the entire inhabitants there rejoice over you because through you another lost soul has been found and rescued. Archbishop Gloria Grace, The Heartbeat of God

But from the beginning of the Bible until the end of the Bible many people had a visitation of an angel and they weren’t even apostles. Bill Vincent, Glory: Increasing God’s Presence

There are people in our lives who are like angels to us.” Catherine Pulsifer
Life

Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel’s just got his wings.” It’s a Wonderful Life

and so many more, look them up and see what you like.

Have you heard the saying that when feathers appear angels are near? Well, they are. Now that is a common theme in card readings and the like, but I don’t suggest that. Angels are near to a believer in Christ because they are with His Spirit, and because God charged them over us.

Feathers are a good reminder of a verse like Psalm 91:4, He covers us with His feathers, not that God has feathers but the cherubim on the mercy seat do. We have even talked about pennies being a reminder of angels, being dropped to make us smile.

What else reminds you of angels? Besides Christmas and Bible stories, singing, choirs and art, there are figurines, paintings and statuary. Some of that I have already published should you care to scroll back.

There is the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park and the Resurrection Angel in a cemetery in Brooklyn, statuary is found there a lot, and is very beautiful, but also in parks and churches, monasteries and convents. Although they are monuments and are usually thought of in terms of death. Jesus has defeated death, pne with the power over death the devil and so do we. So why not enjoy the angels as the artwork they art?

Some are sold at nurseries along with flowers, and many are birdbaths. There are always little garden cherubs, that I prefer to gnomes or flamingos. So whatever your interest is in angels, whether collecting figurines like me, and I also have plates and dolls, and paintings, though not one like the museum, you might want to consider having that camera phone ready next time you go for a drive.

It just be that some angel unaware will be along and drop a ” feather ” or that you might see some of that spectacular statuary.

1870 by Félix François Barthélemy Genaille (French, 1826–1880)

What a glorious angel in flight. Is she on her way to look into salvation? Angels don’t have to be saved, they have never experienced being born again. Naturally, they were curious as to why the Lord implemented such a plan.

They knew Jesus. Why would He agree to give His life in order to redeem sinners? Fallen angels were not restored, and not the devil. People were created in His image, spirit. So were angels, He is the father of all spirits, whatever their rank.

Fallen angels lost their places. So angels knew better, they must remain obedient. Adam and Eve should have known better but they too had free will. Eve was deceived as many people are, in fact, we often deceive ourselves, sometimes even not believing God’s goodness. Adam was a willing sinner.

Thank God He loved us or would have had no choice. He willingly gave up a throne to come to earth and die in the most cruel way to give us a chance at salvation. No wonder angels are interested and are obeying the commands to watch over us.

God revealed to these prophets that their work was not for their own benefit, but for yours, as they spoke about those things which you have now heard from the messengers who announced the Good News by the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things which even the angels would like to understand. I Peter 1:12

I’m giving you the Good News Version, it explains about the prophets and what the angels want to know but I like the phrases, desire to look into or catch a glimpse of.

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/1-12.htm

 

After promising to send an angel ahead, we get this, ” Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. ” Exodus 23:21  I doubt most people have ever paid much attention to this, I did as an avid reader about angels, even wondered if had made my angel mad, when something went wrong, I knew God sent them to help. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

Now, there is a high possibility and even probability with this strong language that this angel is Jesus, look at the phrase, my name is in Him. Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, and more. You see, when God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it was Jesus. Why? Even John 1:1, tells us the answer. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

So many times we see Jesus appearing in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. He appeared to such people as Hagar, Sarah, Abraham, Jacob and Manoah and his wife Hazeleponi. And I really need to go through and see how many times it could be Jesus, although sometimes, it can be a literal angel, I am sure He is hidden in many places. This verse is in reference to taking the land of Canaan.

And why hidden? Well, Jesus is a treasure. You have to look for Him. He is in the story of Samson, when He tells Manoah and his wife about the child. She believed Him but her husband had to see for himself and though they would die when he did see him. He even asks His name, and the angel won’t say but says it is secret, which can translate from a Hebrew word as wonderful, and what is one of Jesus’ names in isaiah 9:6? Wonderful. I still sing a children’s song, called Isn’t He Wonderful? And He is, too.

So let’s look at it in context, Israel suffered some consequences. But we know Jesus was not angry at Sarah for laughing and denying it. When He talks to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, He is hoping there will be some righteous people still there.

Jesus is full of mercy and grace, and God is slow to anger but you can do it or that verse would not contain a warning. It was such a high price He paid for us to ignore Him. We are not to grieve ourselves but have His joy, Nehemiah 8:10, and especially not the Spirit. Ephesians 4:30, it really does hurt Him when we neither lister or obey.

And we know Jesus ultimately, came as a child grew and was referred to as the second Adam. He gave His life for us a sacrifice once and for all, the very Son of God dying and paying the redemptive price for us. I’d say we don’t want to anger Him as angel of the Lord or the Lord, Himself, for He and the father are one, and three in one with the Holy Spirit whom He sent to live in the hearts of believers.

I don’t want to make Jesus mad and He has good plans for us, so let’s just thank Him and believe. I believe in angels, and the one who is over all of them, do you?

Beautiful angel, unaware,

Have you come in answer to prayer,

You could be Gabriel, with good news.

Bringing hope, as He is ours to choose.

Are you here for spring?

The resurrection morn?

Were you there at His birth?

Or announcing He was born?

Were you even there.

Seeing His head, bleeding from a thorn.

Are you here for summer, and fall,

Are you our warmth when winter winds howl?

With many angels, keeping us from the wicked one, so foul.

Beautiful angel unaware,

You are an answer to a prayer,

For He is risen, we are forgiven.

And you are here to share,

The blessings from God above,

Who sent us a Savior, His own Son,

The purest act of love,

A glorious gift is given, what a wonder He has done.

HIs peace,

Rebecca Jones